Indian football legend DMK Afzal passed away on Wednesday at the age of 81. An excellent midfielder of his time, Afzal was a part of the gold medal-winning India team at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Afzal has two appearances in the India shirt, making his debut against the Republic of Korea in the group stage of the 1962 Asiad Games.

On the domestic front, Afzal won the Santosh Trophy with Andhra Pradesh in 1965. With his club, Andhra Police, he won the Durand Cup (1961), Rovers Cup (1962, joint winners), and the DCM Trophy (1965).

He later moved to Kolkata with East Bengal, and won the Calcutta Football League (1966), IFA Shield (1966), Rovers Cup (1967), Durand Cup (1967), Sait Nagjee Trophy (1968), Kerala FA Shield (1968), and the Bordoloi Trophy (1968).

Afzal was a product of the golden era of Indian football that was nurtured under legendary football coach SA Rahim. The mid-field maestro played in the team that boasted of India finest football players, including PK Banerjee, Chuni Goswami, Tulasidas Balaram, and goalkeeper Peter Thangaraj.

During an interview, Afzal had recalled how Rahim had inspired the Indian team to win the Asian Games gold.

“His advice to the players was to avoid the offside trip in front of an anti-India crowd for the final. He insisted on us keeping possession of the ball as much as possible.”

“The best part was that despite the serious doubts of the Indian team’s participation for the Asian Games, Rahim Saab saw to that the players were fully focussed in the camp at Goshamahal Stadium in the City,” Afzal said.

None of us moved out of the camp till we left for the Asian Games. Such was his passion to see that the players developed the kind of bonding even while improving their skills,” the great footballer was quoted as saying by TT.

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